Carbon Sequestration

Carbon sequestration: it’s a mouthful. But it boils down to something simple and amazing. Audubon South Carolina can actually get paid to protect prime habitat for birds and other wildlife. Here’s how it works:

Companies in California want to release more carbon into the atmosphere than the law allows.

They buy “carbon credits,” which allows them to release that extra carbon legally.

Their money comes to us if (A) we don't cut our trees; and (B) our trees “sequester” more carbon than other hardwood forests in our region. Sequestering means preventing carbon from being released into the atmosphere – which compensates for jumbo-sized releases by those California companies.

Fortunately, A and B are easy criteria for Beidler Forest to meet. We've signed legal documents that protect Beidler forever. Plus, it's the largest remaining virgin Cypress-Tupleo swamp forest in the world. Our huge, old trees sequester more carbon than other hardwood forests in the Southeast, which tend to be clear cut often.

So thanks to California's carbon finance system, A + B = funds for Audubon South Carolina's endowment. Which, in turn, helps provide annual income for our operations. Simple and amazing!